Hot Topics:

Eddy County History: Carlsbad's last hanging

Sheriff Dave Kemp took pity on the condemned man, James Barrett, but still acted as his executioner. (Submitted photo)

The last legal hanging to take place in Carlsbad occurred Sept. 14, 1894, at the town cemetery. The events bringing us to that point were quite sensational for this time.

The construction of the McMillan Dam was in full swing, bringing many workers to help fulfill the contract. One of these men was James Barrett of Texas. Life on the construction site was hard - workers had tents if they were lucky, a commissary in which the proprietor stated that he sold more candy than anything else to the men, and a saloon.

As with any group of people, some get along and others do not. The same held true for the construction camp. Barrett was described by his fellow workers as a quiet man who kept to himself most of the time, but was known to have a violent temper when he drank.

On one particular March night, Barrett had too much to drink and became violent. The men settled him down and eventually they thought he passed out enough to not worry about his actions. In the morning light, they saw that were wrong in their assumptions because two of their fellow workers were dead and Barrett, found covered in blood, was their apparent killer.

Pleading self defense, the jury did not believe his story and indicted him for the double murder. Judge A.A. Freeman sentenced the accused to be hanged until dead. Scaffolds were built near the cemetery by Lucius Anderson, husband of Josephine Anderson and owner of one of the local tuberculosis sanatoriums.

Advertisement

On the fateful day, Sheriff Kemp felt a pang of sympathy for the condemned man and gave him a bottle of whiskey to help dull the reality of what was about to occur. After shaking hands with his fellow jail mates, Barrett was loaded on a wagon; the prisoner was then paraded down what is now Church Street to near Mesa Street and on to the location of the original cemetery.

This event was said to have had a larger draw than the circus as the students in Florence (Loving) were released from school so they could attend.

Shown is the original courthouse where James Barrett s trial most likely took place. (Submitted photo)

People came in wagons, buggies and on horseback with families in tow, many with picnic lunches to enjoy after the show.
The whiskey gave Barrett courage to tell, or in more likely terms, tell off, the large crowd which had gathered to watch the spectacle. Professing his innocence to the end, Barrett stated that if he had not killed them, they would have surely killed him. With most of the whiskey bottle empty, Barrett became belligerent and it is said he demanded to be buried face down.

It would be Sheriff Kemp who would pull the lever at 1:30 p.m. to release the prisoner from this life. His last request was not respected. Barrett's fate sent a shock of fear through the other prisoners who were residents of the jail for the same sort of crimes, but Barrett would be the last.

Donna Birchell is the author of several books about Carlsbad-area history, including "Carlsbad and Carlsbad Caverns (Images of America.)"

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A West Texas man has been charged with impersonating an officer by using sirens and flashing lights to skip to the head of the drive-thru line at a fast-food restaurant. Full Story